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Title: Optimizing the top quark signal to background ratio at hadron colliders

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/393332· OSTI ID:393332

We investigate the event signature of the {ell}{nu}b{bar b}q{bar q} decay mode of top-pair production in proton-antiproton collisions at 1.8 TeV. Neural networks and Fisher discriminates are used in conjunction with modified Fox-Wolfram {open_quotes}shape{close_quotes} variables to help distinguish the top-pair signal from the W + jets and b{bar b}+jets background. Instead of requiring at least four jets in the event, we find that it is faster and better to simply cut on the number of calorimeter cells with transverse energy greater than some minimum. By combining these cell cuts with the event shape information, we are able to obtain a signal to background ratio of around 9 while keeping 30% of the signal. This corresponds to a signal to background enhancement of around 370.

Research Organization:
Florida Univ., Gainesville, FL (United States). Inst. for Fundamental Theory
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
FG05-86ER40272
OSTI ID:
393332
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/40272-259; UFIFT-HEP-96-23; ON: DE97000413; TRN: 97:000077
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: [1996]
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English